Patented June 23, 1953 2,642,943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,642,943
OIL RECOVERY PROCESS
Robert L. Smith, Western Springs, and Kenneth
M. Watson, Madison, Wis., assignors, by mesne
assignments, to Sinclair Oil and Gas Company,
Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Maine
No Drawing. Application May 20, 1949,
Serial No. 94,506
3 Claims. (Cl. 166-21)
1 2
This invention relates to improvements in the coincident internal combustion wave front within
production of oil and gas from oil-bearing the oil-bearing formation. The high temper
formations, and more particularly to an im ature zone is expanded in a relatively horizontal
proved method for recovering gas and oil from direction within the formation in such a man
partially depleted oil-bearing formations by ner as to sweep out residual oil by force of
thermal means. ' a heat transmissive gas ?ow. The combustion
It is well known that the recovery of oil from wave front is continuously or intermittently
producing ?elds is in general an incomplete generated within the formation and maintained
process. The production of oil from subter in an approximately coincident relation to the
ranean oil-bearing formations requires available 10 high temperature zone or heat transfer wave
energy and its efficient expenditure. Where so as to continuously or intermittently revivify
natural sources of energy such as high forma the heat content of the expanding hot zone.
tion gas pressure or natural water drive have Thus we propagate a high temperature zone
existed and have been coupled with efficient within the formation by forcing hot combustion
production methods, recoveries have been said 15 gases into the formation from an inlet well
to run in rare instances as high as 70% to 80% under elevated pressure for a period of time
of the original oil content. In general, how su?icient to heat up the surrounding sand
ever, it is a matter of common knowledge that structure and produce gas and/or oil flow from
recoveries of oil have rarely exceeded 25% to one or more nearby outlet wells. The hot gases
40% of the original oil content, and that vast 20 preferably derive from bottom-hole burning,
quantities of oil remain in the produced ?elds that is, from the burning of fuel at high rates
of this countary and the World, even though of heat release at formation level in the input
some have been produced steadily for 25 to 40 well. When a high temperature zone surround
years. For example, the Nowata County ?eld ing the inlet well for a considerable distance
of Oklahoma is a relatively shallow field under has been established, fuel burning is discon
lain by a portion of the Bartlesville sand tinued, and the movement of the heat zone
averaging about 30 feet in thickness at a depth horizontally out into the formation is continued
approximating 600 to 800 feet. This ?eld has by cycling cold gases through the inlet well.
been in production for about 40 years, and yet We have found that a small percentage of
it is estimated that only 44% to 46% of the 30 asphaltic or carbonaceous material usually re
original oil content has been recovered, say mains in the porous structure following passage
about 17% by primary methods including of the hot gases. For example, purging of an
vacuum, 17% to 19% by gas and air pressuring, oil sand having a porosity of about 20% and
and say 10% by water ?ooding where this has an oil and connate water content of about 2.25%
been applied. each with inert hot gases at temperatures
Since the very early days of production of ranging up to about 1350 F. leaves about 0.5%
oil from subterranean formations, thermal meth residual carbon on the sand. This material
ods for improving recoveries by lowering vis constitutes a non-recoverable residue, but we
cosity and through distillation and cracking have found that it can be ignited and is burned
have been proposed. Despite the theoretical 40 at elevated temperature, say upwards of 450
soundness of some of these proposals these F. to 500 F., by flow of air or oxygen-containing
methods have proved characteristically im gas so as to regenerate or revivify the heat
practical because of the high heat consumption transfer zone in compensation for the dissipa
required to improve recovery, for these methods tion of its heat values resulting during its
have depended upon heating the entire under progress out into the formation.
lying oil-bearing stratum to the temperature at We have found that this residual carbon repre
which the desired improvement in flow would sents a valuable fuel for improving thermal re
develop, and often have required combustion of covery if it is burned in such a way as to add its
substantial proportions of the recoverable oil to heat values to the heat values put into the
Warrant consideration at all. formation by burning start-up fuel. For we have
In contrast to these methods, we have now found that arelatively high temperature, say
discovered a method of recovery embodying the above about 700 F., is needed to effect practical
advantages of the old thermal schemes but improvements in oil recoveries after ordinary
which is characterized by propagation of a high methods of secondary recovery as by water drive
temperature zone coupled with an approximately or gas repressuring have reached a point of di
 2,642,943
3 4
minishing return. Yet the dissipation of heat cycle gases which give up the regenerated heat to
within the vast underground volume of the for the structure in advance of the moving wave
mation as the ring of the heat transfer zone is front. Since the non-recoverable carbon residue
expanded from the input well is large even with is left behind the advancing front, it may be
closely situated output wells. We have found, burned in a relatively narrow band, forming a
however, that we can continuously or intermit combustion wave behind the moving heat wave so
tently revivify the degenerating heat transfer that a minimum of recoverable oil is consumed.
wave by burning the residual carbon left in the As the frontal zone progresses in distance from
sand in a relatively narrow band or moving com the inlet well, the flow rate may be increased.
bustion wave that approximately coincides with 10" The flow rate requirement may be reduced by a
the moving heat transfer wave in point of posi limited use of water injection.
tion and rate of movement. For we have discov We have found that good recovery is effected at
ered that the rate of movement of the combustion operating temperatures within the range of ap
wave relative to that of the heat transfer wave proximately 700 F. to 1000 F. Combustion of
primarily depends upon the oxygen content of the the residual matter will occur as low as 450 F.
driving gases and the residual carbon content of to 500 F. but it is Weak, and even at 600 F., the
the sands, and that we can obtain the desired burning band tends to be too broad in area and
coincidence in rate by limiting the oxygen con slow moving for good revivi?cation. In addition,
tent to a small proportion. It is important that mild cracking begins at about 700 F., reducing
the relative movement of the peak hot zone and 20 the gravity somewhat. Accordingly, we prefer to
the combustion wave be controlled because other maintain a temperature above about 700 F., but
wise the heat values of each will be independently under the fusion or sintering temperature of the
given up to the structure. Thus if the combus structure, which is ordinarily somewhat above
tion Wave lags behind the heat transfer wave, the 2000 F. to 2500 F. Ordinarily, incipient sinter
heat generated primarily goes into elevating the ing below the fusion temperature does not ad~
temperature of that portion of the formation versely affect permeability. Oil recovery im
which has been already swept, and the tempera proves with temperature. For example, the per~
ture peak is reduced. If the combustion wave centage of oil produced from Nowata oil sands
ranges too far ahead of the heat transfer wave, of about 20% porosity and 2.25 weight per cent
the peak again falls off and ?nally combustion is 30 oil content approximates 50% of the oil present
lost in the too rich and too cold environment of at 900 F. under an inert gas flow of about 275
the outer fringe. cubic feet, per barrel volume of sand per hour
In one method of operating according to our while at 1350 F. the recovery approximates 90%.
invention, therefore, we include in the cold cycle Similarly, the desorption of connate water in
gas drive up to about 5% to 6% of oxygen. The ,, creases with temperature and rate of flow, al
heat transfer wave is continuously projected out though the percentage produced is of a signi?
into the formation so as to sweep out the oil and cantly lower order under the conditions described.
is continuously revivi?ed by the recuperative ca We have also found surprisingly enough by
pacities of the cycling gases in picking up preheat physiochemical analysis of typical oil sands that,
from the swept out portions of the formation and 40 although most of the material is crystalline
then igniting and burning the residual carbon in quartz, as high as 10% or more is porous, high
the sands in the approximate zone of peak tem area adsorptive clay, and that substantially all
perature.
of the oil and water is associated with this por
We have also discovered that we can intermit tion. It may be that the primary function of the
tently revivify the heat transfer wave by cycling 1 elevated temperature, 1. e. upwards of about 700
produced gas from outlet Wells or other gas of
F., in recovering oil from exhausted oil sands
low oxygen content to advance the heat zone is to break an adsorption complex between a rel
until heat losses reduce the frontal temperature atively adsorptive matrix for the crystalline sand,
to a point somewhat above the ignition tempera
such as kaolin, and water and oil rather than
ture of the carbonaceous residue in the sands. At merely to promote flow by cracking and distilla
this point we revivify the heat front by introduc tion.
ing sufficient air or other oxygen-containing gas
with the cycling gases to reinitiate combustion or Of course, the before-mentioned methods of
raise the combustion level of residual carbon
operating require the presence of sul?cient resid
aceous matter in the zone of high temperature ual carbonaceous matter in the sands to provide
so as to replenish the heat content of the frontal fuel for revivi?cation, which is usually the case
area. Large bands of unburned carbon may be (or depend upon building up a sufficiently large
left behind, if desired, to avoid overheating the body of heated sand in the formation). In those
structure in this cyclical method of operation. other cases, e. g., ?elds of good permeability bear
Thus by skipping bands of residue, control is bad 00 ing high gravity crudes, we intermittently intro
on the average per cent residue burned, giving an duce fuel gas along with the oxygen-containing
additional measure of control on the rate of the gas. The mixture does not ignite until it con
combustion wave. tacts the zone of high temperature, since the
Thus, according to our invention, the cold sands between the frontal zone and input well are
cycling gases entering the inlet well are heated cooled by prior cold cycling. Thus this method
as they move through the zone of previously of producing lean formations requires the preced
heated sand, leaving cooler sands behind. Heat ing cycling of cold gas to produce a sizable area
is thereby recovered and the heat front is simul of cooled sand, otherwise burn-back of the in
taneously advanced, for the regenerated heat is coming mixture to the well will occur with result
transmitted to the cold sand in front of the pre- " ing heating of the entire structure and prohibi
vious hot zone. In this manner the high tem tive expenditure of heat values as well as excessive
pressure drop.
perature Wave is continuously moved forward,
As a result of applying vthe methods of our in
and a heat wave is created within the formation
by the heat transmissive flow of the hot gases vention, a moving region of high oil saturation
is set up ahead of the moving heat front by reason
followed by the heat regenerative flow of the cold 75 of the greater susceptibility to flow induced by the
 2,642,943
5 6
thermal effects of cracking, vaporization, and vis continuous and uniform combustion. However,
cosity reduction assisted by the drag effect of a jet-type, spark ignited combustion system with
the ?owing gas. By cooling and condensation, a high velocity, turbulent air and gas flow in
the gases and oil give up heat to the cooler sands which a relatively large volume of diluent air
in front of the hot zone so that the progression gas is introduced progressively into the burning
of the high temperature front is maintained. As zone provides perhaps the most convenient and
the region of oil saturation approaches an outlet reliable bottom-hole system. Recycle gas may
well, oil under gas pressure flows or is pumped. be utilized as diluent after the temperature has
from the Well. been built up, and Where gas compressors are
Since the strata overlying and underlying oil 10 employed, the compressor exhaust may be utilized
bearing formations are impervious while the for as recycle or diluent gas.
mation is relatively permeable, there are no heat The inlet pressures will vary according to the
losses by convection. Losses by conduction are distance between producing and input Wells, the
usually small because of the low thermal conduc-. thickness and permeability of the oil-bearing
tivities of shale and other materials commonly 15 stratum, and the oil and water content of the
found as bounding strata. Moreover, ' some of formation. Similarly, the quantity of gas in
these heat losses will be returned to the formation troduced will be affected by the desired pressure.
and picked up again by the cold gas flow. How temperature of the input gases, and the con;
ever, su?cient gas drive must be maintained to ditions and heat capacity of the oil-bearing
prevent immobilization of the front,v or conduc stratum. The pressure for example .Will ordi
tion losses may become prohibitive. narily exceed 60 p. s. .i. g., but because of prob
It should be observed that the travel of the hot _ lemsof reservoir control, is maintained at a
zone radially outward does not in itself ordinarily moderate ?gure, and, of course, is ultimately
result in a temperature decrease. Although the limited by the over-burden. To minimize plug
vertical area of the zone broadens, the heated ging or cementing of the porosity of the forma
mass remains the same. The sharpness and tion, after-scrubbers or other ?ltering devices
height of the temperature pro?le then remains should be employed on compressors in order to
the same if the sand is uniformly permeable and remove iron rust or other troublesome carry over.
if the actual heat losses are exactly compensated Similarly, it is desirable to incorporate similar
for by combustion of deposit. The most impor 30 devices in the liquid knock-out system employed
tant effect in causing lowering of temperature for handling recycle gas
and broadening of the mass of the heated zone is The gas produced is recovered and after re
non-uniform permeability. That is, both Waves compression to compensate for, pressure drop is
move rapidly through a highly permeable streak, recycled. ' Maintaining superatmospheric pres~
hence heating it up before the adjacent and less sure on producing Wells markedly reduces power
permeable streaks but losing heat to them by con' costs for recompression in recycling operations.
duction, thus lowering the temperature level and Depending upon its fuel content, the produced
increasing the mass of the heated zone. For this gas may be burned as fuel or utilized as flue gas
reason it is important to keep both waves as close recycle. Naturally, readily liqueriable or other
together as possible. 40 valuable components may be recovered as by ab;
In practicing our invention the high tempera sorption prior to utilization as recycle.
ture front is propagated within the formation by Pressure drop is desirably kept low and may
burning fuel, conveniently natural gas or crude be controlled by keeping the volume gas rate low
oil, with air at high temperature either on the and by operating at a high pressure level. Use
surface, or preferably within the hole. The re~ 45 of water as the principal heat carrying medium
suiting combustion gases under elevated pressure serves to keep the volume rate and pressure drop
are forced into the porous oil-bearing stratum for low except in the heated zone, but may require
a length of time sufficient to raise the tempera emulsion breaking to avoid plugging troubles.
ture of a large body of sand surrounding the well The rate of oil production ordinarily should be
to a temperature below the fusion temperature of high to minimize the proportion of labor and
the structure but well above the ignition temper ' capital expense, although this consideration con=
ature of the residual carbon. At the same'time, ?icts with most other considerations except that
the formation is partially rte-pressured with re of heat losses to the bounding strata. '
sulting now of cold oil and gas from one or more When a high temperature, say about 1500 F.
outlet Wells. '
but advantageously in the range of about 1000" F.
During the fuel burning period, there is nor to 2000 F., has been established over the area
mally a large excess of oxygen in the combustion surrounding the inlet Well, we discontinue the
gases because of the use of dilution air in the '7 input of hot combustion gases, but continue gas '
burner system, which insures clean combustion flow by increasing recycle, or admixture of air
and prevents the formation of soot that might with combustion gases produced from outlet
clog the structure, and additionally assists in wells. The cold gases are heated by moving
heating up the structure by burning carbonaceous through the zone of previously heated sand, at
residue and some oil. ' the same time cooling the sand in back of the pre
The use of a bottom-hole burner is advanta vious hot zone. The heated gas and oil vapors
geous because it eliminates the need for expensive 65 at the same time heat the sands in front of the
alloy casing and expansion joints. However, the previous hot zone, thus maintaining a heat trans~
combustion gases may be produced by burning fer Wave. With oxygen-containing gas drive, the
at the surface in any desired type of combustion combustion wave is established by burning re
system producing a stream of hot gas under high sidual carbon under the temperature prevailing
pressure or a system combining a surface pre in the heat transfer wave, and the combustion.
heater and bottom-hole burner may be used. Wave is maintained in the zone of peak tempera~
With bottom-hole combustion, various ignition ture by regulating rate through control of oxy
schemes may be used, such as electric sparking, gen content and the rate of gas ?ow. For ex
thermite, or other incendiary bombs, for example, ample, We consider a total gas input of about
or an incandescent mantle may be used to assure 75 500,000 standard cubic feet per day per well and
 2,642,948
7
an oxygen content of from about 1.33 to about In many of the ?elds which have been extensively
5.0 per cent particularly desirable. With non gas pressured or water ?ooded. wells have been
oxygen containing gas drive, the temperature in drilled in 5-spot or 9-spot patterns which will
the peak zone is intermittently raised by intro be suitable for applying our invention to further
ducing cold air into the circulating gas stream recovery. It may be necessary, however, to drill
as it falls off. a new input well or to pull the old casing and
Residual carbonaceous matter in the sands replace it with pressure tight piping. The holes
burns in a relatively narrow zone determined by may be tightly cemented with a high temperature
depletion of the oxygen at the front and the resistant cement at the top of the formation
combustible at the back. Thus this burning zone 10 where necessary to con?ne the combustion and
also travels forward as a wave, and the combus recycle gases within the formation stratum. Gen
tion raises the temperature of and furnishes ad~ erally an ultimate 1:1 ratio of input and outlet
ditional heat for the moving hot zone. Although wells will be found advantageous. In planning
the flowing air-gas mixture is preheated by the recovery patterns, it is particularly advantageous
sand, and the sand is preheated by the combus 15 to utilize water dams built up in the structure
tion products, the problem is usually one of ef by water injection through selected surrounding
fectively controlling the relative rates of move wells in order to segregate the working area and
ment so that the heat values of the carbon burn~ retain high pressure.
ing wave are effectively added to the heat values One of the major problems in secondary re
of the heat transfer wave. Where exceptionally 20 covery through gas pressuring is non~uniformity
high carbon residues occur, however, it may be in the porous structure of the formation both
necessary to provide some means of control to I vertically and horizontally, so that channeling
prevent the temperature from rising too high, occurs and control of oil movement within the
The loss of some heat to overlying and under formation is made di?icult; Non-uniform per
lying strata of course is helpful, but again the 25 meability creates the further problem with our
principal means of control is varying the ratio invention of tending to promote broadening of
of heat carrying medium to oxygen in the stream. individual hot zones and lowering of temperature.
Liquid water intermittently slugged into the for Core analysis is a helpful guide to methods for
mation may be utilized to supplement the recir overcoming channeling by indicating the desir
culated flue gases for this purpose. The peak ability of well packing at levels where ?ssures or
temperatures may also be limited by deliberately excessively permeable strata appear. For this
varying the rates of travel of the waves, and by purpose, high temperature resistant cements may
reducing the rates of wave travel. be used in place of the usual rubber packing
Gas analysis of the produced gas, as by the devices of low temperature pressuring. The ce
Great method, for oxygen and carbon dioxide 35 ment is poured into place and solidi?ed. The
content provides a means for determining the casing is perforated as by shooting at the desired
state and progress of the front within the forma input levels. In order to prevent horizontal chan
tion. During the combustion cycle oxygen con neling through a relatively narrow streak of rela
tent decreases and combustion products increase, tively high permeability so as to defeat uniform
while during the cold gas cycle the reverse is 40 and economic recovery, higher back pressures on
true. It is helpful to observe pressure differen the more productive wells may be maintained to
tials between inlet and outlet flow, which are increase the resistance to flow in those direc~
affected by the temperature, the permeability, tions. In addition, well blocking may be resorted
whether fusion is occurring, whether an oil and to, as by water injection in or mechanical plug
water block is building up, and the position of ging of peripheral wells or wells of quick pro
the heat transfer point and the revivifying com ducing tendency.
bustion point. Control timing is also assisted by The principles underlying our invention will be
the use of deep-well thermometers or tempera illustrated in the following examples, which, how
ture recording devices. ever, are intended to be merely illustrative and
For optimum recovery in an economical process, not limiting with respect to conditions and means
we consider that the rate of travel of the heat utilized. Thus no attempt at recycling was made
transfer hot wave should be almost coincident in the pilot scale testing, but air was utilized as
with that of the revivifying combustion hot wave, the pressuring medium, and control was exercised
in order to minimize losses to sand and bounding through variation in the flow rate.
strata. If the rate of travel of the combustion
wave is appreciably either faster or slower than EXAMPLE I
that of the heat transfer wave, the whole mass of We tested the soundness of our concept of de
sand between the front of one and the back of the . veloping both a moving high temperature wave
other will be heated to high temperature with and a combustion wave in oil-bearing sand by
consequent losses to sensible heat that may be 60 means of heat transmissive and heat regenerative
prohibitive, or so large a body of sand may be drive in a trial in which 401/2 inches of sand
heated that the temperature may be too low. having an oil, content of 10% were packed in a 4
Rate of travel of the heat transfer wave is pro inch steel pipe. The test unit consisted of a 4
portional to the ratio, mass velocity of total gas foot section of 4-inch steel pipe insulated with
divided by sand density, and to the ratio, speci?c magnesia, which was maintained in a vertical po
heat of gas to speci?c heat of sand. Rate of sition with an oil drain-off located at the bottom.
travel of the combustion wave is proportional to A burner was used to preheat the simulated oil
the mass velocity of oxygen consumed (or oxygen sands and was located at the upper end of the
supplied less oxygen out), and is inversely pro pipe, and an arrangement of thermocouples and
portional to the carbonaceous residue of the sand 70 an automatic temperature recorder were used to
(at a given temperature level, reactivity, etc.) follow the movement of the heat zone through
which is burned. the simulated oil sands.
In applying our invention to large scale re The pipe was equipped with a 1%; inch 0. D.
covery operations, it is advantageous to utilize a stainless steel thermowell permitting the insertion
logically spaced pattern of input and outlet wells. 75 of a bundle of eight thermocouples, staggered l
 2,642,943"
9 10 ..
inch apart, into the well. This thermowell en some water from the sand used to make the oil
tered the bottom of the pipe through the bottom sand mixture.
oil take-off and extended. upward through the The temperature data obtained during the test
center of the pipe to within 11/2 inches of the tip indicated that the high temperature zone was 10
of the burner which was positioned 3 inches above calized, and it appeared that it was confined to a
the top of the sand bed. A fast-acting tempera narrow band less than an inch in width.
ture indicator having a 0 F. to 1600 F. range was Upon dumping the sand from the pipe, it was
used to record the temperature. In order to de found that there was no oil-bearing sand left.
termine the ?ame temperature of the burner, a Most of the sand had been burned clean. The
thermocouple was inserted into the thermowell to 10 sand that had not been burned clean was ce
measure the flame temperature 11/2 inches below mented together, adhering in a cylindrical crust
the burner tip. A portable potentiometer was to the inside of the 4-inch pipe. It was observed
used to measure this temperature, that this cylindrical crust was thickest at the
The pipe was; charged with enough gravel to point where the peak ?ame temperature was the
make a 5-inch layer in the bottom. A 25-mesh 15 lowest. At the point where the temperature peak
stainless steel screen was placed over the gravel, was only 800 F. the cemented crust was so thick
followed by a layer of glass wool. The oil sand that the burned out core through the center of
charged to the unit was prepared by mixing the pipe was only about 1.5 inches in diameter.
thoroughly 30.3 lbs. of builders sand, 3.5 lbs. of However, lower down in the sand bed this crust
Santa Barbara 50% reduced crude and 0.15 lb. 20 thinned out due to the increased ?ame front
of coke ground to 100 mesh and ?ner. The coke temperature caused by the increased air rate.
was added to the oil sand mixture to simulate the
entrapped oil and carbon in a natural oil sand EXAMPLE II_
formation. The amount of coke added was equiv Following the completion of the test conducted
alent to 0.5 of 1% based on sand. This entire 25 in the 4-inch pipe, another test was made in a
mixture was packed ?rmly into the 4-inch pipe by unit which more nearly simulated the conditions
tamping during ?lling. The total depth or the which would exist in the ?eld. For this test,
sand bed was 40.5 inches and the top of the bed a rectangular box made of 16 gauge sheet metal
was located 3 inches below the tip of the gas was utilized. The inside dimensions of this box
burner. A wet test meter was used to measure 30 were 31 inches wide by 43 inches long by 24
outlet gases, . inches deep. In order to reinforce the box, 2
To start the test the burner was lighted and inch by 2-inch angles were used to stiffen the
adjusted visually to give a hot ?ame and then in sides and bottom. In mounting the box, one of
serted into the unit. Prior to inserting the lighted its narrow edges was raised 6 inches above the
burner, the sand bed was air blown to determine 35 other to give the box an 8 slope. A ll/g-inch
whether or not any oil could be removed by air pipe was placed in the box at its higher edge
blowing alone. No oil could be removed by air in a vertical position. This pipe extended to the
blowing. After the lighted burner had been bottom of the box and served as the burner pipe,
placed in position above the sand, the ?ue gas through which the gas ?ame used to ignite the
vent at the top of the pipe was closed thus caus 40 bed was inserted. The burner pipe was perforated
ing all ?ue gases from the burner to pass through with 1/4.-inch holes for 15 inches along its lower
the sand bed. The burner was then adjusted by end. The burner tip was so positioned that 4
the aid of the ?ame temperature thermocouple inches of its nozzle was within the cover of the
to give its maximum temperature. The burner box.v A second ll/z-inch pipe was placed near
was kept on for 38 minutes, until the upper 3 45 the middle of the lower edge of the cover plate
inches of the sand bed was 1000 F. or over. Dur in a vertical position with its lower end touching
ing this period the pressure drop through the the bottom of the box. This pipe was perforated
sand bed was 20 p. s. 1. After this 38-minute pre with 1/;-inoh holes along 9 inches of its lower
period, the gas was turned off and air alone end, and the perforated area was covered with
was passed into the oil sand bed. The amount of wire mesh to keep sand out of the pipe. ' . To re
fed to the sand was 53 cubic feet per hour. move the oil which drained into the pipe, a 1/4
With this amount of air passing into the sand inch pipe extending to the bottom of the larger
bed, it was determined through the use of a bun pipe was used. The upper end of the larger pipe
die of eight thermocouples, that a ?ame front or was connected to a valve so that back pressure
peak temperature zone was being maintained. 55 could be imposed in order to cause the oil to flow
There was a de?nite peak temperature in the bed, up through the 1/4-inch pipe to a receiver.
but it was noticed that as the wave progressed The material charged to the box consisted of
down through the bed, the peak temperatures 1600 lbs. of builders sand mixed thoroughly with
kept dropping so that 1% hours after turning off i 177 lbs. of oil plus 8 lbs. of ?nely ground coke.
the gas the hottest temperature in the sand bed 60 The'oil was Santa Barbara reduced crude, and
was 800 F. At this time, it was decided to in constituted 10% by weight, while the coke charge
crease the air rate to 132 cubic feet per hour was 112 of 1% based on the sand. The oil sand
thereby increasing the pressure drop across the was tamped ?rmly while being loaded into the
bed to p. s. i. The peak temperature responded box. After being thoroughly tamped into the
immediately to this increase in air rate and lined 65 box, the depth of the sand mixture was 19 inches.
out at about 1000 F. The remainder of the bed On top' of this sand a 1/2-inch layer of ?ne Olm
was burned off with this increased air rate. Ex sted earth was spread and the remainder of
amination of the temperature data obtained in the 24-inch depth of the box was ?lled in with
dicated that the ?ame front or combustion wave a mixture of half Olmsted earth and half builders
traveled through the sand bed at the rate of 15 70 sand. The box was slightly over?lled so that
inches per hour. The pressure drop through the when the 1/4-inch thick cover plate was put into
sand at the end of the test was 22 p. s. i. position, it had to be pulled down by clamps in
The oil recovered from the unit was found to order to be able to weld 'it'to the box. This
weigh 3.6 lbs. compared to 3.5 lbs. charged. The procedure was used'in order to compress the sand
increase in weight was caused by the removal of 75 so as to remove any voids within the box. The
 11 12
14-inch. thiek eever plate. had four 6-inch sheet When it was noticed that the peak'frontal tem
metal ?ns extending across the inner width of peratures were continuously dropping a small
the box welded to its under side. These ?ns were amount, 6 cubic feet per hour of propane gas
spaced about 8 inches apart and served to pre were fed to the sand bed along with the air. This
vent lay-passing of the gases through any voids procedure did not have any decided eifect on the
forming above the oil sand mixture. After. the frontal temperatures or CO2 content of the out
box has been entirely welded, shut. it. was. tested let gases. It was noticed, however, that this in
with 5 n e- 1- air pressure and all leaks. were clusion of propane with the. air fed to the box
Welded. shut. caused some localized heating of the burned off
In Order to be. able to. follow- the course. of; the 10 sand around the inlet pipe.
high temperature zone. through. the. sand three The total elapsed time for the test including
thermowells werev used. One passed horizontally the time required for preheating was 47 hours.
through the middle of. the sand. bed along the During this time 126.5 lbs. of oil were recovered
lens axis of the hex- AnQther passed through of the 1.77 lbs. placed on the sand, representing
the middle. Of. the sand. bed. horizontally through 1,5 a recovery of 71%. The recovered oil contained
its Short. ease The. other well. entered the box about 5% water as shown by distillation. The
vertical. to the ten and passed through the. middle gravity of the oil decreased from its original value
ef. the. bed.- Beeides these. thermewells. there of 21.8 API to 207 due to the increase in water
were. two mere. through. which. the. ?ame. tern. content caused by the removal of water from
neieture. and. temperature of. the Send near the. 2.0 the sandy usedv in the mixture. The odor of the
burner; Ripe eeuld be. meesured- 1.11. order. to. recovered oil was substantially the same as that
follow the high temperature zone along the long of, the original oil. A, comparison of distilla
axis of the box a bundle of eight thermocouples tion, data obtained from the original and the. re.
spaced, 1-inch apart. was used. This. bundle. of covered. oilfollowsz.
thermocouples. could be positioned. anywhere in 2.5. Table A
the Well so asto explore thetemperature through-e.
out the length of_ the, bed. In the short hori
. Original Recovered
zontal and, the vertical. thermowells. therewere Percent Ovez~ Oil, '
bundles ofv ?ve. thermocouples. spaced" 2v inches Temp. F Temp. F.
apert rlhe ?ame temperature thermowell was '
located- concentrically in the. burner; pipe and 508. 402
entered through the. bottom, of the box; This 592 594
650 630
thermowell extended to within 1. inch of. the- tip 680 660
ofthe burner. The thermowell for measurement 690 676
of the sand temperature adjacent the burner
pipe hada bundle of three thermocouplesspaced 5%.}1110 in sample.
2 inchesapart. This. thermowell paralleled the Upon completion the cover plate was-removed
burner pipe and was located 21/2. inchesfrom it. from the box and its contents were examined.
During the ?rst attempt to initiate combustion It was found that the dry sand-Olmsted earth
in the sand bed insu?icient preheat was given to 40 mixture placed on top of the oil sand bed had
the sand surrounding the burner. tube and thus not absorbed any oil, and there was no indica
combustion wasnot started._ Theqpreheat time tion that any-gases had by-passed through this
was then extended, to nine hours. During the dry mixture. There was no evidence of chan
preheat neriedthe-ayerage.pressure :drop through neling through the oil sand bed. The sand that
the-bed Wasabeuta p- s. 1- After. the preheat had been burned clean represented about 35%
perio_d_,;the;airi andgas. to theburner-Were cut of the volume of the oil'sand bed and formed an
51f. 941d all all fed.-te.the-bex,- through the _.burner egg-shaped volume. The large end of the egg
Pine, was. passed. through-a retometen sothatthe shape surrounded the inlet or burner pipe, while
e117.- rate; deems; they send: burning period could the small end of the egg pointedtoward and al
be. determined. ,_ During. the; ?rst. portion- of: the most touched the-outlet pipe.
send. burning; periedtbe air rate was. kept high EXAMPLE III
'eneilehte nredeee a 4.1:.- s i- plieeeuredron across
thev Send. lee-$1.2.- heweyer. durinsthesreaterpor Testswere made upon coregsamples from typi
tionofvthe test ai_5 pi s, i. d-i?erentialwas'maine cal areas of the Nowata Field'to determine the
tamed. eereee. the. send. bed. The average: air. effectiveness of purging with air and nitrogen
rate fer the 38-hour burning period . was. I about within thetemperature range of, 80 F. to 1350.
3.00 cubicreetner.-heur F. at atmospheric pressure. The sample, 442
During the: initial. part of the sand burning grams (320 cc.) was ground to l4-mesh and ce
period the peak temperature of the hot zone was mented in a quartz tube. The purge gas was
about 1l00 F., butas it advanced away from the 60 passedthrough the tubeafter preliminary dry
burner pipe and its area increased, the peak tem ing and preheating. The eilluent gases were led
peraturesfdropped. It was determined that in through a; pair" of ice-water traps and calcium
creasevof air ?ow was necessary to maintain or . sulfate driers'v in parallel. The gaseswere col
raise. the frontal, temperature, but. unfortunately lected in gasbottles for analysis. Although the
the. air ratetthrough thevbed could notv be ap 65 number of runs was limited and the oil losses
preciably increased "because, thelbox was made were relativelyhigh with the small samples in
of light gauge steel. Thus the air rate through volved, the- tests indicated that oil recoveries
each unitarea of the hot wavevdecreasedduring of at least 80 weight per cent, based upon origi
the course of the test. The peak temperature in nal oil content as determined by pentane extrac
the bed at thetimevthe test wasstopped was 70 tion,~.may be made.
695 F. V Oil recovery begins at approximately 400 F.,
_ The flue gases from the box-wereanalyzed by but the major portion of the oil is recovered over
Orsat. The CO2 content at the'start of the sand the approximate range of 600 F. to.1000 F.
burning period,was;13;5% and decreased grad Combustion begins at approximately 300 F., but
ually as . the frontal temperature decreased; 76 sustained combustion does notbegin until about
 2,042,943
13 "14
450 F. to 500 F., judged by oxygen disappear Core analysis of the area selected indicates a
ance. Cracking begins at about 700 F., and the porosity of approximately 20% and a permeability
recovered oil had an API gravity of 275 to 29.0 of approximately 40 millidarcys. The oil con
and a U. 0. P. characterization factor 11.? to 11.9 tent approximates 300 barrels per acre-foot and
at"? gmPparid to tax} A51 glavtty Off anihzr 5 the water content, which is entirely connate
original'oijl 3110523215512: 35114030653; 0205031 8% re8 water approximates the same There is Very
. .. . ' . littl a r i ' '
covery increased. Wlbh temperature-rise rate, but e g S ecovemble frPm the fprmatlqn'
decreased with increasing purge rate. The air For the purposes of muStFatmn' an Input Wen
rates, it should be noted, however, were high for 10 f0 typlcal 7'mch D-_ plpe 1S firmed and 1s
?eld rates; e. g., about 300 cubic feet per minute, {earned and Shot Wlth mtroglycerme to expand
but were as low as practicable in the laboratory. We hole Volume Wlthm the Sand to a 2' to 34001?
Total oil recovery did not appear to be affected diameter cavity. In this area wells have been
by the nature of the purge gas, air or nitrogen, ?rmed m 5-Sl306 patterns for gas pressuring, S0
at approximately Zhourly space velocity and 5. 1 15 that old Wells may be utilized. The well spacing
"F. per minute temperature-rise rate. The iiow approximates v200 feet between input and outlet
data are tabulated below in Table 13, and gas wells and 330 feet between like wells. For test
analyses by the mass spectrometer of the ef- purposes all surrounding wells except one which
fluent of run 0 are reported in Table 0'. is 230 feet distant are capped or plugged.
Table B

Charge Purge Recovered Materials

Wt. Percent 011
.~ Recovery,
Temperature Based on origi
T t 1 R r ( Pressure 011 H0 oo ggtgltleg?fgit
MEN"- sand (442 gm) G 3.13.81. ?erstg. Rise-Rate P-S'i-g- (Gm.) (Gin) (cm?) by pentane ex
( ) )( ) Range, (3 R/Mm) (Ave) traction
(Ave)

1 ...... -_ CoreA ____________ __ N, .235 .020 4.20v 3.00 ______ _- 53

2 ...... __ CoreA(4l5gm.)..__ Air 1.133 .103 0 .97 3.37 0
OoreB ____________ -_ .320 .027 4.40 3. 88 0.90 152
d .427 .013 4.50 5.10 0.39 153
.425 .025 0 .54 5.01 0
.912 .030 5. 82 , 0.27 10. 03 09
9.020 .103 1.00 12.30 23. 50 27
.327 .020 4.04 0.32 9.30 30
.490 .019 3.11 0.93 13.10 54
.597 .025 3.00 0. 03 3.47 52

1 Actual recovery. Some oil was lost (leakage).

Table C

Cumulative M01 Percent

Time of Tempera
Air Purge ture, F.
(HR) H1 N2 0: 00 CO3 01 O2= C2 C3= C3 C4 C4:

35.7 13.5 ' .0

33.0 10.9 .5
90.4 1.3 1.3
95.4 .5 3.7
95.7 .4 3.7
95.3 .1 4.2
93.0 .5 4.5
33.0 .2 3.4
(1) (1) (I)
34.0 4.1 5.0
37.7 4.7 4.3 ______________________________________________ ._
34.9 5.0 0.7 ____ -_ .3 .................................. _.
39.1 0.9 3.4 .............................................. __
37.3 3.3 3.1 ______________________________________________ -_
(> (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (> () (1)

1 No samples taken.

EXAMPLE IV 60 To introduce combustion gas into- the forma

tion a high-pressure burner with an elongated
As an example of an application in the ?eld, combustion chamber is lowered through the well
our invention may be illustrated by application to casing to formation level. A suitable burner is
the Delaware-Childers ?eld of Nowata County, disclosed in application Serial No. 97,142. ?led
Oklahoma. This ?eld is underlain by the Bartles 65 June 4, 19119. The burner comprises an elongated
ville sand at a depth averaging from 600 to 800 combustion chamber to which fuel gas and pri
feet.v The oil-bearing sand averages 35 to 40 feet mary air are separately introduced through con
in thickness and is overlain by impervious cap centric piping by means of a mixing plate at its
rock. Although the sand is somewhat lenticular head. A turbulent tangential motion is im
it represents a formation of average or better 70 parted to the flame by passage of the fuel gas and
uniformity. This ?eld has been produced by air through angularly directed ducts in the mix
primary methods, including vacuum, for over 40 ing plate. The mixture is ignited by a spark
years and has been subjected to major gas and plug centrally located in the mixing plate. The
air-pressuring projects and, to a minor. extent, burner is constructed of stainless steel or other
to water ?ooding. - 1 75 heat resistant metal, advantageously in two sec
 2,642,943
15 16
tions, the combustion, and an upper section con transfer calculations or by deep well thermome
taining an inner pipe for gas and a high tension ters or thermal recording devices situated within
cable leading to the spark plug. For a heat re the formation.
lease rate approximating 500,000 to 600,000 B. t. u. The use of heat transfer calculations to predict
per hour at 40 to 70 p. s. i. g., the dimensions of the temperature of the heat transfer wave front
the burner advantageously are about 2 in diam as it is moved out into the formation depends
eter by 24" in length of each pipe section. The upon taking into account the factors mentioned
inner gas line and outer air pipe are extended to above in columns '7 and 8, including the total
the surface with ordinary piping, and primary air amount of combustible material available for
and fuel gas are supplied in approximately combustion in the high temperature region and
theoretical proportions for perfect combustion. taking into account the temperature level of the
Secondary air to dilute the combustion gases and initial high temperature zone established at the
control the ?ame temperature is admitted input well, checked by data obtained through
through the oil~well casing around the burner analysis of the gas recovered from the output
tubing and combustion chamber. 15 well. During the combustion cycle, the presence
The burner is operated at a ?ame temperature of excess oxygen and carbon monoxide in the
of about 1500 F. in the hole and under an inlet effluent gases is indicative of the completion of
pressure of about 360 p. s. i. g. Fuel is burned the combustion reaction and the correctness of
at a rate in sufficient quantity for a heat release the ratios of oxygen to fuel. The best indication
approximating 500,000 13. t. u. per hour. Su?i of the temperature of the heat wave is furnished
cient air is provided to control the ?ame tempera by the extent of decomposition of hydrocarbon
ture and provide excess oxygen in'the fuel gases gases occurring during the cycle gas or cold gas
to accelerate the temperature rise in the forma drive, the period of intermittent operation, Which
tion through internal combustion. A back pres can be followed by means of a recording calorim
sure of about 300 p. s. i. g. is maintained on the 25 eter employed to determine the calori?c value or
outlet well, and produced gas is recycled to the the B. t. u. content of the produced gas. As a
inlet well after repressuring. result of passage through the high temperature
The data on an illustrative example of opera Wave front, the average molecular weight of the
tion are tabulated below; cycling hydrocarbon gases is reduced, with the
Table D '30 tendency to form hydrogen increasing at condi
tions of extreme severity. Comparison of the
Nature of Field: ratios of light to heavy hydrocarbon followed by
Depth to top of oil sands ____ .i.
Thickness of oil sands. _ _ changes in calori?c content forms a relatively
Well spacing ____________________ _.
Average permeability of oil sands, millidarcys-
_
40 sensitive indication of changes in the peak tem
Residual oil after other recovery methods, wt. 35 perature level, which is not seriously confused
percent of oil sands by moderate changes in the width of the hot zone,
Residual carbonaceous solids, wt. percent of
oil sands ___________________________________ ._ 0.5 through correlation with known data that have
Conditions of operation: been accumulated and made generally known as
Total gas input, std. cu. ft.lday/well ............. _ 480, 000
Base pressure level, output gas, iii/in.2 ______________ __ 300 a result of gas cracking studies. The use of deep
Input pressure sufficient to maintain gas rate, iii/in.2 40 well thermometers or thermal recording devices
approximately ___________________________________ _ - 360
02 content of total gas to input well, per 7 provides an additional means for checking the
cent ___________________________________ __ . 3.33 5.0
Average production, bbl./day/input well. 3. 2 8. 0 12 methods of analysis and calculation but requires
additional drilling into some intermediate portion
At the start of operations, fuel is burned with of the formation before the high temperature
air, and later recycle gas is also included to give wave has reached the test area.
temperatures of combustion of about 1200 F. to We claim:
2000 F., until about 180,000,000 cubic feet per 1. The method of recovering gas and oil from
well of total gas have been put in. The burner oil-bearing formations penetrated by at least one
is extinguished and gas drive is now continued input well and at least one adjacent output well
without burning extraneous fuel. Under these 50 which comprises establishing a zone of high tem
conditions with an oxygen content of below ap perature at about 700 to 2500 F. within the for
proximately 1.33%, the heat transfer wave is in mation surrounding the input well by means of
front, and the rate is constant. With above hot gas iiow, moving the high temperature zone
1.33% oxygen, the combustion wave is in front, as a wave front by means of cold gas flow out
travelling at a rate proportional to the oxygen wardly from the input well and through the
content. But with above about 5% to 6% of i formation in a relatively horizontal direction,
oxygen, the ?re in front will go out because the revivifying the high temperature wave front by
temperature is too low to sustain combustion and establishing a combustion wave front by intro
the oxygen-containing gas will simply be cycled duction of free oxygen in an average amount ap
through. 60 proximating 1.33 to 6.0% into the formation and
Alternatively, the gas drive may be continued controlling the rate of movement of the combus
with inert or substantially oxygen-free gases tion wave front relative to the rate of movement
until the temperature of the front falls to a ?gure of the high temperature wave front in a manner
affecting recovery ef?ciency and approaching an obtaining approximate coincidence between the
effective in situ combustion temperature for the combustion wave front and the high temperature
residual carbonaceous matter, say about 700 F. wave front by regulating the velocity of
example. Air or other oxygen-containing gas is free oxygen introduced to the formation during
then added to the cycling cold gases so as to pro any period of operation and thus controlling the
vide a sufficient quantity to ignite and supportrate of combustion in the front by which its rate
combustion of the residual carbonaceous mate of movement is determined, while recovering gas
rial under the high temperature condition exist and oil from the outlet Well.
ing. The cycling of oxygen-containing gas in 2. The method of recovering gas and oil from
the gas flow is continued until a high tempera oil-bearing formations penetrated by at least one
ture has been re-established. Again the temper input well and at least one adjacent output well
aturemay be followed by the means of heat 75 which comprises establishing a zone of high tem
 2,642,948
r 17
perature at about 700 to 2500 F. within the for
mation surrounding the input well by means of
hot gas ?ow, moving the high temperature zone
as a Wave front by means of cold gas flow out~
wardly from the input well and through the for
mation in a relatively horizontal direction, con
tinuously revivifying the high temperature Wave
front by burning residual carbonaceous matter
left in the formation so as to form a combustion
Wave front within the zone of high temperature
by including free oxygen in thelcold gas drive
in an average amount approximating 1.33 to 6.0%
and controlling the rate of movement of the com
bustion wave front relative to the rate of move
lment of the high temperature wave front in 15 tion during this period of operation and thus
a manner obtaining approximate coincidence be
tween the combustion wave front and the high
temperature wave front by regulating the mass
velocity of free oxygen introduced to the forma- 1 to theformation to an average amount within the
tion during any period of operation and thus con
trolling the rate of combustion in the front by
which its rate of movement is determined, While
recovering gas and oil from the outlet well.
3. The method of recovering gas and oil from
oil-bearing formations penetrated by at least one
input well and at least one adjacent output well
which comprises establishing a zone of high tem
perature at about 700 to 2500 F. Within the for
mation surrounding the input well by means of
hot gas ?ow which is substantially free of un
combined oxygen outwardly from the input well
18
and through the formation in a relatively hori
zontal direction, intermittently revivifying the
high temperature wave front by burning residual.
carbonaceous matter left in the formation so as
to form a carbonaceous wave front in the zone
of high temperature by cyclically introducing a
free oxygen containing cold gas flow to the for
mation, controlling the rate of movement of the
combustion wave front relative to the rate of
movement oftbe high temperature wave front
in a manner obtaining approximate coincidence
between the combustion wave front and the high
temperature wave front by regulating the mass
velocity of free oxygen introduced to the forma
controlling the rate of combustion in the front by
which its rate of movement is determined and by
limiting the amount of free oxygen introduced
range approximating 1.33 to 6.0% of the total
input gas ?ow while recovering gas and oil from
the output well.
KENNETH M. WATSON.
ROBERT L. SMITH.
References Cited in the ?le of this patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
Number Name Date
2,382,471 Frey _____________ __ Aug. 14, 1945
2,390,770 Barton et al _______ __ Dec. 11, 1945